One type of light emitting diode (LED) based visual display typically includes packages of LEDs mounted to one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) in an array, with each of the LED packages configured to form a portion of a pixel or one or more pixels of an image formed on the LED display. The LED packages are typically spaced from adjacent LED packages by a certain distance in each of the x- and y-directions of the display panel. To maximize the contrast of the LED display, it is preferable for the material in the spaces between the LED packages to have relatively uniform light-diffusing and/or light-absorbing qualities, such as provided by a uniform black material having a matte finish. The color and finish of the sides of the LED packages and the top surface of the PCB, however, are typically not as uniform, light-absorbing, or light-diffusing as desired. To address this, a shader mask, also known as a “contrast enhancer,” is typically applied to the LED display.
Conventionally, a contrast enhancer is a piece of plastic having a relatively uniform black color and matte finish and is sized and configured to be disposed on the LED-package-mounting surface of the PCB in the spaces between the LED packages. Some contrast enhancers also have features that extend in a “z-direction” that is perpendicular to the LED-package-mounting surface of the PCB and towards the audience. These features are sometimes referred to as “louvers” and are provided to shade the LED packages from ambient light to improve contrast and reduce glare. In some high-pixel density displays, for example, displays having less than approximately 2 mm pixel pitch, due to the tight spacing between adjacent LED packages contrast enhancers may not include z-axis features for light protection and only cover the exposed top surface of the PCB between the LED packages.